Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 764, 29 December 1908, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

Affairs in the eastern portion of Europe are none too promising, and all the nations are looking to Austria to make the master move. It is now suggested that Austria k, to use the language of the ring, sparring for time — waiting for the springtime, which, is much more suitable for campaigning that the severe winter that is experienced in the Balkans. Readers of the records of the Crimean war will readily remember the rigours of the campaign which all the forces engaged in that warfare had to suffer. Already the Servians, who have been so eager for war, are suffering from the severity of what seems to be an extreme winter, and the terrors of typhus fever are added to snow storms. The London Times, which at one time dictated terms to European Powers, and earned the name of the "Thunderer," is urging Austria to come to terms quickly. But can Austria do so? She is a house divided against hensettf — the aged [Emperor dictating peace and his heir-apparent lending his ooimienance to the war party. Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Minister (M. Isvolsky) is losing caste fn his own land because of his efforts for peace, but has won the approval of other people; whilst Austria's Foreign Minister (Baron Aerenthal) is being severely criticised abroad as the real distrubing element in diplomatic circles, and even his erstwhile friends, the Italians, have turned against him and his people. The question of the hour is: What willbe Austria's next move? The city of Wellington seems to be a good place to keep away from during the holiday season. For it has been having the very unusual experience of harbouring a gang of garrotters, surely the very worst, as it is the most terrifying methods of criminals. To lie in wait in the dark corners, throw a cord round the neck or the unsuspecting prey or grip him by the throat, or else to hit him on the head with a sandbag— these are i the swift and silent methods of the thug and the garrotter. The Wellington police are just now mystified over the death of an unknown man a stranger m the city who seems to nave been the victim of the midnight marauder who is also a stranger to , the Jiimpire City— a wanderer who nas made a descent upon the place and struck such terror into the hearts of the people as has rarely been experienced in' Wellington It | is to be hoped that the police will prove equal to the emergency, and deal as successfully with the undesir- ! ables as they have done previously with gangs of visiting criminals who sought to take possession of the city